Whew - Miami! What a Vacation!!!

Whew - What a Vacation!!!  After unpacking, relaxing, and being home for a couple of days, I finally have time to showcase my Miami trip to you all!  A week away was exactly what Chris and I needed.  Miami was amazing and beautiful, as always!  I will say it is nice to be home and back to the regular daily pace of living...which also bring the not so fun part of returning home from vacation...work.  Time to get back to the grind though.  Chris starts his third year rotations tomorrow and up first is underserved rural care.  Should prove to be interesting with plenty of stories I'm sure.

Up first was a day on the beach, followed by the best deli sandwiches around!  This little french deli about 5 blocks from the condo has the best dressing to put on the sandwiches - it really does make the sandwich 10 times better!  The water at the beach was absolutely breathtaking this morning - so clear you could see your feet and so shallow you could walk out pretty far without getting past your waist.  Either we didn't wear enough sunscreen, which I have a hard time believing because we put it on 3 or 4 times that day, or the sun was just extremely hot - but we both managed to burn the first day so we stuck by the pool with umbrellas for the next few days.

A few beautiful panoramic pictures!

We decided to go shopping on Wednesday and go for lunch down at the pier - about 20 blocks away.  After browsing through a few stores, we set on our way towards the pier to have some fresh seafood for lunch...tuna salad for Chris, lobster and shrimp wrap for me.  They were delicious!

Wednesday was also a day of pictures - gelato, which was much needed after walking over 8 miles, Chris and I at the pier, beautiful palm trees, and the tower that's in CSI Miami.

We both happened to find new sunglasses while we were shopping.  New Ray Bans for me, new Oakleys for Chris.  My first pair of polarized sunglasses - I am NEVER going back to non-polarized. I honestly don't know how I put up with a headache from squinting while I wore sunglasses for years.  These are perfect - they make everything more crisp and vivid!

A night out for dinner on Ocean Drive proved to be eventful - saw a few Ferrari's drive past, enjoyed an Italian singer and dancer while we ate dinner, and delved into our delicious plates of paella and lobster ravioli...best dinner down there by far!!!

We ended the trip by watching the sunrise at the beach - one of my 30 Before 30 list items.  Marking the list off one item at a time!

Overall, this trip was one of the best vacations I've ever been on.  It was really nice to spend quality time alone with Chris after two years of medical school for him.  Here's to the future and starting his third year rotations this week!

Short & Sweet - Vacation Time

I may be a little out of touch for the next week...Miami here we come!

Step 1 board exams are finally done...work is covered for a week - it's time to go on vacation!!!

Stay tuned for plenty of pictures and updates!

Short & Sweet - Charity Love

Joining Alpha Delta Pi 8 years ago truly did change the way I look at things.  Yeah - sororities are about fun and friends, but each sorority also has a philanthropic side where they donate time and money to help support a charity.  The national charity of ADPi is the Ronald McDonald House.  For those of you who may not be familiar with RMH, they are a "home-away-from-home" for families of patients staying at St. Jude's for treatment.

I was so touched by how this charity helps so many people during one of the worst times in their lives that I decided to run for Philanthropy chair my sophomore year.  A little while later, I was given the position and the responsibility of managing all the activities and trips we did at the Ronald McDonald House, while also planning all the events to raise money to support RMH.

While I count myself lucky that I have not had a personal reason to stay at the Ronald McDonald House, visiting the house and volunteering my time definitely touched me.  Whether it was cooking spaghetti, writing cards, or decorating Christmas trees with the kids, it has left an imprint on my heart that will always be there.  Thanks to my decision to join ADPi, the Ronald McDonald House will always be a charity that is close to my heart!

Did you know you can help support the Ronald McDonald House without actually donating any money?  Just save your can tabs off the beverages you drink.  It's that easy!  I remember taking garbage bags full of can tabs to RMH back in college.  If you don't have time to take them by yourself, just find the ADPi chapter at your local college and drop them off.  I'm sure they'd be happy to take them in for you!

I challenge you to find a charity you are passionate about.  Even if you do not have the time or money to donate, there is always something you can do to help out!  Something as simple as taking the can tabs off your empty drink is something everyone can do!

Ranch-Infused Taco Beef Soup

How many times have you craved the perfect Mexican soup?  This taco soup is absolutely delicious and makes plenty for a crowd or a couple nights of leftovers.  Pair with cornbread muffins and it's the perfect dish that you can whip up in 30 minutes.  A great end to a long weekend!

Ranch-Infused Taco Beef Soup

Recipe courtesy of Sara Potter

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 can pinto beans (drain juice into a bowl)
• 1 can white hominy (drain juice into a bowl)
• 1 can sweet whole kernel corn (drain juice into a bowl)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can Rotel
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning and dressing mix

Directions:

1. Brown ground beef and chopped onion in a large pot.  Season with salt and pepper.
2. While browning, combine the juice of the pinto beans, hominy, and corn in a large bowl.  Mix in the packets of taco seasoning and Hidden Valley Ranch mix and stir well.
3. When the meat has browned, drain the grease.
4. Mix the remaining ingredients in the large pot with the beef and onions.  Stir in the juice mixture and any other spices you'd like to add.  Add water if extra fluid is needed.
5. Simmer on low for 15-20 minutes.

Short & Sweet - Happy Long Weekend

Here's to long weekends :)

Since Chris was busy preparing for his board exam next week, I decided I'd head to the pool yesterday.  Soak up a bit of sun and read a few chapters of a new book...sounded like a great idea.  It wasn't until later last night I discovered the sun tan lotion I'd put on must have been expired as it did not do what it advertised...protecting me from the sun.  I now have unsightly red burn marks scattered over my body with fingerprint lines...never again will I use sun tan lotion that I don't remember buying (must have been a couple years at least).

Later last night, we headed out to Kroger and got supplies for chili cheese jalapeño hot dogs and roasted veggies on the grill.  Our jalapeño plants are finally producing so we picked a couple fresh ones and sliced them up for garnish - I think they actually may be spicier than the ones at the store!

After indulging in our dinner, I fixed up a couple mini cheesecakes with fresh blueberries on top.  Delicious end to a great day!!!

What's a holiday without relaxing and a little over-indulgence?!  I hope everyone enjoyed their 4th of July and spent it with those you love!